Carole Middleton’s ‘favourite room’ at the 'heart' of her home inspired Kate to follow in her footsteps

Carole Middleton’s “favourite room” is incredibly traditional and cosy and the Princess of Wales has seemingly taken a similar approach with her kitchen.

Over the years we’ve been treated to very few glimpses inside the Princess of Wales’s homes, Anmer Hall and Adelaide Cottage, and of Michael and Carole Middleton’s gorgeous house in Bucklebury. However, whilst we might not have a clear idea of what all their interiors look like, Carole and Kate share a love for making the kitchen a focus in their homes. Mother and daughter are understood to both have fabulous open kitchens where they can spend time with loved ones as well as enjoy meals, with Carole once declaring that the kitchen is her “favourite” room of all.

According to Hello!, when asked about her favourite room in an interview with Good Housekeeping in 2021, Carole didn’t hesitate to stress the importance of her kitchen- and its multi-functional feel. 

"My kitchen. It's a kitchen/dining/sitting room and it's the heart of the house,” she explained, before adding that it had also previously been a place where she worked during the pandemic.

Fans have seen Carole Middleton’s farmhouse-core kitchen with its stunning cream tiles, wooden details and black kettle on social media before, in a video shared by her son James. Whilst Carole confirmed that she’s got a traditional Aga which keeps it “always warm”. She went on to describe exactly how she and Michael like to use their kitchen and it’s apparently a focal point for the Middletons when they entertain too.  

"I love a kitchen supper," Carole said. "Where I have a small number of guests. I'll cook something delicious and make it look lovely, then we'll finish with a kitchen disco."

Shop Traditional Kitchen Inspiration

Kitchen discos sound like an excellent way to make use of the space and the Princess of Wales might well have been inspired by her mum's choice to make her kitchen a hub. Kate and Prince William’s Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, underwent renovations before they moved in and the late Queen Elizabeth’s reported reaction to the kitchen suggests that it was also a huge focal point.

Author of Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch, Sally Bedell Smith, once claimed to People, "I remember when they had just finished renovating Anmer Hall, and they invited the Queen over for lunch. They have one of those big kitchens with eating areas, and she said, 'I can't understand why everybody spends their time in the kitchen.'"

So it seems that Queen Elizabeth supposedly wasn’t a fan of having open-plan kitchen dining areas where everyone gathered and spent time. This seems to be Carole and Kate’s preference, though, and since it's such a big part of their homes, it’s perhaps no surprise that they’ve taken a timeless approach to their designs.

Kitchen trends come and go but Agas like Carole’s are very traditional and the Kate's kitchen also has a rustic, farmhouse feel and a forest green range cooker. Back in 2021 the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a montage of pictures of Kate, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis baking cakes for a Platinum Jubilee street party.

At the time the family hadn’t moved to Windsor so it’s likely the kitchen at Anmer Hall or Kensington Palace. Either way, it was stunning and also featured creamy wooden cabinets and a large, natural wood workbench, with Kate’s KitchenAid Artisan Mixer in a cream shade put to good use for the baking. 

The neutral tones and classic detailing is something also evident in Carole’s kitchen and mother and daughter appear to have similar taste when it comes to the kitchen - the “heart” of their homes.